Ennio, I just have a hard time asking people for help or to do things for me. I was raised this way and it's something I'm working on. It's very difficult for me to ask for help, and even more difficult to ask people I don't know for help. It has nothing to do with not taking anything seriously or becoming complacent. I'm not complacent and I understand the gravity of the situation. If you think it might help, please do send the magnesium oil. I thank you and appreciate your offer and suggestions - everyone's suggestions.
Re: the mold issue
I've lived in this apartment for 4 years. It has flooded at least a couple dozen times over that period of time. I'm not talking about a leaky pipe under the sink. I'm talking about water pouring into the back of my apartment in the closet that holds the electrical box ( yeah, I know) and also water coming in under the wall on the side of the house. I asked many people, including my landlord about this situation over the years and depending upon who was asked, the source of the problem becomes a different answer.
I think it has to do with the foundation of this house needing to be fixed. The landlord has tried to convince me that it is due to clogged gutters, drain pipes and a downspout that needed to be replaced. He let this situation continue for three years before he replaced the downspout and gutters. A few weeks ago, it rained and water flooded again in the apartment, but not to the extent I've seen in the past. It wasn't a particularly hard or heavy rain, but it did rain much of the day. Still, this flooding is not supposed to be happening anymore, and it did, so the problem is not fixed.
When it floods, I get standing water in the back of my apartment, in the abovementioned closet, in the little hall area in front of the closet, in the bathroom and also in my kitchen.
I keep a wet/dry vac in my bathroom at all times because I never know what will happen when it rains. This situation is a problem during the spring and summer months and it has happened every year I've lived here in this place. My landlord tried to convince me that it is happening simply because it's a basement apartment and that this happens in all basement apartments.
I've done a pretty good job of getting the water up quickly and have spent who-knows-how-many hours drying the wet areas when this happens, but I can't really dry inside the walls, behind the walls. The closet has a musty smell, but the rest of the apartment does not. I run a dehumidifier most of the year, which keeps the apartment dry ( except the back area when it rains hard) and in the winter, the heat from the furnace room does a good job of keeping the apartment dry.
There is an area of exposed insulation in my bathroom just above the shower wall that I'm sure must have some kind of mold, since there is no way water could not have gotten in there when the shower is on. My bathroom was supposed to be replaced, but the landlord never seems to get aorund to actually doing what he promises he will do. I've been waiting for three years for a new bathroom.
Only once did the flooding extend all the way into my living room area. That was the worst flooding from rain I've seen here and I was really concerned because now the water had reached floor areas where there are electrical wires. I had to elevate all the wires after that, because of the fear of being electrocuted upon entering my apartment if the living room floor became wet. As I said, the water has only reached the living room space once, but once is enough.
I've stayed in this place because the rent is cheap and I can walk the couple of miles to work, saving me transportation costs.
There was also one other flooding incident in which the bladder of the water heater rusted out and water sprayed throughout the furnace room for three days. it also saturated through the wall of my bedroom closet and everything I had in the closet became soaked with water. My landlord told me to "think outside the box" since he was on his way to Florida and didn't want to be bothered with it.
It took me three days to get a plumber in here. The plumber blamed the problem on my landlord's lack of preventative maintenance. My landlord has quite the reputation in this city for being a slumlord who does not pay repair people, so it's difficult to get anyone to come here to fix anything, because they don't think they will be paid.
I've managed by taking care of the flooding myself when it happens ( although the landlord has gotten an earful from me many times). I had to fight for a reduction in my rent one month due to the losses from the water heater/ bedroom closet flooding. He then tried to charge me for the overage on the water bill from the water spraying for three days, but I won that round too and did not pay it.
So yes, there is probably mold in this apartment in spite of my best efforts to keep the place as dry as possible.
Rent is very high in this town and Penn State students scoop up most of the available housing units.
Landlords and rental companies here take advantage of the demand and exploit the situation.
They're making a killing off of ripping people off for substandard housing in this city. My landlord is not the only slumlord here.
I appreciate everybody's advice and suggestions and all of your well wishes for me.
If I haven't directly jumped at offers for help, please know it's not because I don't want or need or appreciate your help or that I don't take this seriously, because I do - it's just a difficult thing for me to do.
I was raised to always say no. Obviously, I do take help when it is offered, but it's hard for me to ask.
Yes, I know it's stupid, and I am working on it.
Please don't misinterpret my lack of response to offers to send me things that might help.
I'm not trying to be unkind or casually dismissive or complacent - and I do thank you all sincerely.
This guy is so full of it! No wonder you are having health problems!
